HO OPOE—RA VEN 1 03 



about the end of April ; but in southern Europe it goes away later and comes back 

 earlier. Avoiding marshy places and high mountains, it ranges as far north as 

 Sweden, as far east as the Altai Mountains, and southwards to South Africa and 

 Madagascar. It is frequently found in the south of France and in Spain, as also 

 in Hungary, Rumania, south Russia, and Turkey, but is only a rare straggler to 

 Britain. In eastern Europe it is known as the Polish parrot. 



The hoopoe ( Upupa epops), conspicuous on account of its erectile 

 crest, and making its presence known by its monotonous cry, is as 

 much a bird of the fields as of the woodlands, and has its home on the skirts of 

 the forest or in some copse or plantation amid meadows and farms. It rarely 

 goes far afield in search of its food, which consists mainly of insects and worms. 

 These it either picks up on the ground, drags from their holes, or pulls from their 

 hiding-places in manure-heaps and then indulges in a curious habit of throwing up 

 its victim into the air and catching it as it falls. 



When searching for food, a hoopoe either leans its head back, or raises 

 its crest like a fan and spreads up its tail ; but should a bird-of-prey or a 

 crow appear in sight, it lies flat down, stretches out its tail and wings, lays its 

 head on its back and puts up its beak, thus making itself look not unlike a piece 

 of old rag. In walking, the hoopoe slowly and solemnly makes an incessant 

 nodding movement. When sheltering in trees, it perches on some strong branch 

 near the top. Hoopoes go about in pairs, never in flocks ; they are not quarrel- 

 some, and are easily distinguished on the wing by the habit of raising the crest, 

 stretching out the neck, and holding the beak downwards. They take their name 

 from the characteristic cry of hoop-hoo, repeated two, three, or four times. In 

 pairing-time they will perch in trees, with the crest spread out like a fan, and 

 the beak resting on the distended throat. The hoopoe nests but once a year, 

 and goes south in August and September, returning in April a few days before 

 the cuckoo. It has been found nesting from the Mediterranean to about 60° 

 N. latitude, and from western Europe to China and Japan. In England it is 

 rare. It winters in Africa, north-western India, and southern China. 



Passing on to the perching birds, the first of the European 

 woodland species for consideration is the raven (Corvus corax), which 

 is an inhabitant of large woods bordering fields and water. In the north 

 where there are no trees it inhabits rocky and other solitary places and lofty 

 ruins. It is more a resident than a migratory bird, yet in winter it wanders a 

 considerable distance. Its eggs are laid so early as the end of February or the 

 beginning of March ; and the young remain in the nest until the end of May, when 

 they are chased away by the parents, who have, however, taken the greatest 

 care of them while they were helpless. The raven cannot bear any other member 

 of the crow tribe in the neighbourhood of its nest; and is always a rather 

 quarrelsome and a very cautious bird, seeming to know no fear in its combats 

 with other species. Ravens prey on partridges in preference to anything else, 

 but are practically omnivorous, and in the north may frequently be found feeding 

 on shellfish by the seashore. The smaller birds and mammals on which the raven 



